GGS Distribution

[Nath]

Since nothing much seems to be happening, perhaps we should think of how exactly we're going to promote and distribute the game.

I know we plan to distribute it on the web, but I don't think it'll be possible to implement everything and fit it in, say, 15 - 20 MB. Many 56k or lower users won't be willing to download something like that. I suggest we try to make it possible to order it on a CD (or a carton of 3.5" disks ).

We should also make it available for download in 3 - 4 MB packages.

When I started the thread I thought I'd think of more to write as I went along, but that doesn't seem to have happened .

I've been thinking about the layout of the UI, I might post about that in the near future.

[Leland]

Once more, the activity has dropped to zero. Considering that this isn't the first time everyone is taking a vacation at the same time, I would say that instead of wondering possible distribution methods more pressing questions are:

1. What the heck do we think we're doing?
2. How should we gracefully shut down the project?

I'm really beginning to lose my faith in this thing. I have been off for the most of january, and it looks like everyone else is just as busy with other issues as I am. We lack clear objectives, we lack motivation, we lack competent people (apart from S. Kroeze, to whom I must tip my hat. In my opinion, he is the most extraordinary of the people involved and even though we disagree with some gameplay issues, he has been an impeccable source of historical facts), among other things. I'm not saying that the basic principles which we planned weren't viable, but since our programmers (me included) have stumbled over rather trivial issues and seem to have all mysteriously vanished (me included), I see little chance of survival. It's a damn shame.



(Anyway, I think 56k people will be a scarcity in the fictional scenario where we could actually get something done. After all, the game would not have been out in a couple of years, and even then its open source nature would allow any number of distribution methods.)

[S. Kroeze]

Dear Leland,

Thank you for your kind words!
On the other hand: I do not think being negative in public will help GGS in any way. And one could also argue that my historic contributions have heavily contributed to our 'megalomania'!

Personally I was rather disappointed that nobody reacted to my last post in the thread The Future of GGS, because in my view this is a rather important issue.

Our Diplomacy game was also a bit of a test case: it showed which people were sufficiently committed to end the journey.

Unfortunately I cannot help with programming at all, since my abilities are equal to zero. Yet I am still willing to help design a game that I would like to play.
Could you perhaps create software for 'Machiavelli', a most interesting Diplo-variant with money, revolts and plague?

To my knowledge there does not yet exist a judge which truly understands all rules of standard 'Diplomacy'. That is one of the reasons I am rather suspicious about these 'judges'.

Once you wrote:

Alright, I finally cast my vote. I was at odds whether to pick "project organization overhaul" or "shape up", but finally I ended up clicking the latter. I can understand that some people are terribly frustrated by the lack of results, and are therefore not the least interested in the project. My personal viewpoint just happens to be a little bit different: I don't care about the destination, I care about the journey. To me, GGS provides a lot of food for thought, be it social modelling, playability issues, software design, object-oriented programming, project organization, technical writing, historical tidbits and a plenty more. It's kind of like an intellectual exercise, and I dare to say that even if the project died right now I wouldn't say that I have lost a possible future game, I would have lost a current hobby.

I also think the journey itself is interesting. And why not start very simple? Just on a global map with hexes -I have finally made my choice.

Keep faith! Even Amjayee is still interested in the project.

Sincere regards,

S.Kroeze

[Nath]

This sort of thing seems to be happening quite often, I was wondering who'd write the 'GGS is dead' post this time .

I still don't think it is. Activity does stop once in a while when we can't think of anything in particular to discuss. After the end of the last activity cycle, though, we made some progress in all fields.

What the project needs is a list of issues to be sorted out and a rough schedule. I'll try to make a first draft in the near future, but I'll be busy until March, so if anyone else is willing to, do .

[Nath]

Ok, where is everybody? I know you're still alive, I get emails about Diplomacy but nothing about GGS .

[Maniac]

Speaking of which, have you received my last mail?

[chrispie]

Hi all

Sorry for my complete disappearance recently. Several issues really, too much work, too little motivation. Not just a GGS lack of motivation, a general one (had a bit of a crap start to 2002). Things are set to get better for me, and that might mean I can commit some time to programming, I really just want to throw out the UI as is and see where that takes us, but I'm not sure when I'll get any time or (there's that word again) motivaition. I don't want to see GGS die, but it's obvious we need something new to spark things off again, I have no idea what that is unfortunatly. Well anyway, at least for now all I can suggest is the words of that most clever of people (in a pink floyd song ) Stephen Hawking, keep talking...

Chrispie

[VetLegion]

Sorry for me being unavailable people
I have had numerous problems which I wont tire you with, both hardware and software. I admit that I am probably stalling the most with MP code I promised. And I dont really like this pattern of excuses and exuses again and again, next time you hear from me I ll ave something to show. lets hope it will be soon

[Nath]

Okay, perhaps Leland has a point .